Igiri Tree

Description
Scientific Names: Idesia polycarpa
Synonyms: Idesia Maximowicz
Common Names: Igiri Tree
Plant Type: Large-size deciduous tree.
Height: 40-60 feet.
Native Habitat: Hills and mountain forests above elevations of 2000 m above sea level. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.
Native Range: Eastern Asia including China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
Cultivation: Prefers a neutral to slightly acid loamy soil, but tolerates a chalky sub-soil if the top soil is deep. Succeeds in full sun or semi-shade. The dormant plant is hardy to about -15°c, though the tree is somewhat hardier if the wood is thoroughly ripened by a long hot summer. The young shoots in spring can be damaged by late frosts. A very ornamental plant. The flowers have a most delicious perfume, which can be wafted far and wide by warm breezes. Trees produce fruit regularly. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if fruit and seed is required. Female plants can produce some fruit in the absence of a male plant.
Flowering Time: June to July.

Idesia polycarpa is the single species in the Idesia genus (Flacourtiaceae family). Forms a very fast growing, deciduous shade tree, it's native to eastern Asia in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Talk about plant-size some records include; 6 years - 25 x 25 feet, 20 years - 50 x 30 feet, largest on record - 60 x 80 feet ( rarely over 50 feet with a trunk up to 2.8 feet wide). Excellent tree for large landscaping such as parks where trees can be massed for effect. The leaves are large, heart-shaped, 8–20 cm long and 7–20 cm broad, are very large and tropical looking . The foliage is bronze purple at first, turning glossy deep green above and blue-white beneath during summer, persisting very late into the fall though usually remaining green until falling. The attractive foliage is borne on red stalks.

 

The flowers are small, yellowish green, fragrant, and born in panicles 13–30 cm long, are followed by very attractive hanging clusters of bright-red berries during fall persisting well into winter. The berries are borne on female trees only so multiple trees are required for berry production. If used as a street tree, just a single or 2 males trees can pollinate the remainder of the block of trees. Some birds like the berries while others don't so the persistence of the berry crop may vary from year to year depending on bird populations.

The bark is also very attractive, smooth and very light gray. The Igiri Tree is hardy to about -15°c, though the tree is somewhat hardier if the wood is thoroughly ripened by a long hot summer in full sun preferring fertile, well drained acid loam (though tolerating alkaline or just about any soil). It's heat and drought tolerant and actually prefers hot humid summers. Very easy to grow, it is wind tolerant even in coastal areas and is virtually immune to insect pests and disease. The Igiri Tree is easy to transplant while dormant, small trees can even be transplanted bare root.

 

Uses
The fruit is edible either raw or cooked. The fruit is a many seeded berry with a pulpy flesh. Idesia polycarpa is occasionally grown as an ornamental tree in other temperate regions including Europe.